High Court in Delhi instructs Lokpal and CBI to maintain secrecy during investigations regarding the cash-for-query case involving Mahua Moitra

High Court in Delhi instructs Lokpal and CBI to maintain secrecy during investigations regarding the cash-for-query case involving Mahua Moitra

The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to the Lokpal and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the ongoing Lokpal proceedings against Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the All India Trinamool Congress. The case, known as Mahua Moitra Vs Lokpal of India & Anr., is related to a cash-for-query case and is currently under investigation by the Lokpal and the CBI.

The CBI registered an FIR in March 2023, following directions from the Lokpal, to investigate allegations that Mahua Moitra solicited cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for raising parliamentary questions aimed at influential figures such as Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The investigation was done under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Lokpal found the allegations serious enough to order a comprehensive probe with a 6-month deadline. Subsequently, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Moitra with the Lokpal in July 2025, marking a significant development in the case.

Mahua Moitra denies the allegations, asserting they are politically motivated. She was previously expelled from Parliament in December 2023 following the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee's recommendation but was re-elected in 2024 and currently serves as an MP.

After the CBI report was submitted to the Lokpal, reports emerged in the media, which Moitra claimed breached confidentiality. In response, the Delhi High Court issued directions on August 11 and 13, 2025, emphasizing the legal obligation for secrecy in Lokpal proceedings and ordering all parties, including the CBI, to maintain the confidentiality of the investigation and the report.

The latest update regarding the Lokpal proceedings in the cash-for-query case against Mahua Moitra is that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completed its probe and submitted its report to the Lokpal in late July 2025. The details of the case are not publicly available due to the court-mandated confidentiality.

The Lokpal proceedings against Mahua Moitra are currently under consideration, and the Delhi High Court is actively ensuring the confidentiality of these proceedings is maintained according to statutory norms. Access to further details about the case and the court's directive requires a subscription.

1. The ongoing Lokpal proceedings against Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the All India Trinamool Congress, involve policy-and-legislation as they revolve around allegations of solicitation for favorable treatment in raising parliamentary questions related to general-news figures.
2. The cash-for-query case against Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament, is not only a matter of politics but also touches upon policy-and-legislation, as it tests the integrity of parliamentary representatives with potential implications for future governance.

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